Awaiting Reviews Last night, my lovely wife and I returned from a promenade on the chateau grounds at sunset and saw, to our mutual surprise and delight, two peacocks perched upon the back terrasse balustrade. We instantly sensed it was a good omen. In India, if a...

Château Gizeux It’s a little known castle that you would hardly notice if you were driving by. It’s recessed far from the road, not close to any major roads, and requires trekking through country roads some distance. People happen on to it accidentally. Few people go...

Traveling to France The summer countdown had finally come to an end—Paris was now in view as our plane descended. For me, the eleven-hour flight had been a breeze (I can sleep anywhere, even on a plane, despite my 6’2” frame). It wasn’t long before we were navigating...

One of the benefits of living part-time in the Loire Valley (during summers primarily) is discovering little known historical facts about nearby areas. Sometimes those facts are humorous, other times fascinating and occasionally tragic. In most instances, historical...

Summers in the Loire Valley For seventeen years now, my family and I have been spending our summers in the Loire Valley, France. We typically leave near the end of June, after the children have finished school and completed their June piano recital. As May nears, we...